Tom Beynon’s thoughtful nature was par for the course.
I was reminded of that in July of 2016, when the Saskatchewan Roughriders held a 50th-anniversary reunion of the 1966 Grey Cup championship team.
Beynon, an offensive lineman with the Green and White in 1966 and 1967, had enjoyed every millisecond of the 40-year reunion.
During the festivities of 2006, I got to know him and, moreover, realized what an exemplary individual he truly was.
It broke his heart not to attend the reunion of 10 years henceforth, to the extent that he reached out to me — back when I was with the Regina Leader-Post — in the hope that I would convey on his behalf a heartfelt message to his teammates and the Roughriders’ fans.
He was in Scotland at the time, celebrating another milestone — his 75th birthday — by enjoying a round of golf on the Old Course at the historic St. Andrews Links.
It was, as Tom put it, a “once-in-a-lifetime excursion.” The arrangements had been made several months before the Roughriders’ reunion was brought to his attention.
So he made it a point to send his regrets and best wishes, via a rumpled scribe.
“I would have loved to be there,” Tom said from Scotland. “Saskatchewan is very important to me and it’s the cornerstone of what I’ve been able to do in my life.”
We remember and honour that life today, having been informed that Tom passed away on June 26 in his birthplace of Waterloo, Ont. He was 81 years old.
The torrent of tributes recognized a consummate gentleman — someone who enjoyed a long and successful career as a lawyer.
He enrolled in law school shortly after being selected by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the first round (sixth overall) of the 1965 CFL Draft.
Beynon joined the Roughriders on Sept. 7, 1966 and for a while, it looked like it would be an abbreviated stay.
He had been balancing professional football and studies while attending the University of Western Ontario (now Western University) in London, Ont.
It wasn’t the easiest juggling act, but geography was not an insurmountable obstacle.
After being traded to the Roughriders, he attempted to transfer to the University of Saskatchewan’s law school, but his request was not approved.
The next step was to apply to Western’s law school for the fall semester — a decision that would necessitate a return to Ontario and a severing of ties with the Roughriders.
There was only one snag: Beynon quickly developed an affinity for Saskatchewan and the Roughriders. The prospect of leaving, so soon after arriving, was tearing him apart.
So, one life-changing day, he confided in fellow Roughriders offensive lineman Jack Abendschan.
Abendschan, as luck would have it, just happened to know a prominent Regina lawyer. A call was quickly placed to Harold Pick, who used his connections to orchestrate a scenario whereby Beynon could play for the Roughriders and commute to and from Saskatoon for law classes.
Some long, arduous days ensued in the autumn of 1966, but all the highway miles were proven worthwhile when Beynon helped Saskatchewan win its first championship.
The following year, the Roughriders exploded out of the gate by winning each of their first six games — beginning with a 24-16 victory over the host B.C. Lions on Aug. 7, 1967.
Beynon played an instrumental role in the Roughriders’ first touchdown of the 1967 season by recovering a fumble even though two Lions defensive players — Greg Findlay and Pokey Allen — were in the vicinity. On the very next play, Ron Lancaster found Hugh Campbell in the end zone for a 16-yard score.
With Beynon as a lucky charm, the Roughriders would once again advance to the Grey Cup game, only to lose 24-1 to Hamilton.
The following March, he was traded to the Ottawa Rough Riders after being offered a job at a law firm in the nation’s capital.
With the eastern Riders, he was part of Cup-winning teams in 1968 and 1969 — giving him three titles in four years! — before concluding his football career in 1970.
The move to Ottawa was also career-friendly. After graduating from the U of S in 1968, he began articling in the nation’s capital.
At age 65, he returned to college, attending York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School and earning a master’s degree of law in intellectual property. He also studied corporate restructuring and acquisitions at Harvard University.
But, as much as he immersed himself in his passion for law, the priority was always the home team — his wife (Gail Lockyer), children (Natasha, Adrian and Michaela) and granddaughter (Savannah).
Tom’s legion of friends included the 11 people with whom he travelled to Scotland in the summer of 2016.
In addition to walking one of the world’s elite golf courses, Tom and his travelling companions took in two days of The Open Championship at the Royal Troon Club in Ayrshire, Scotland.
Then it was back to his beloved Waterloo and his law practice. There was also a small housekeeping item that required attention.
Tom went to the post office and sent a package to 1964 Park Street in Regina. A few days later, I received a cap that included the logo of the Old Course at St. Andrews Links.
A resolute non-golfer, I nonetheless wore that cap until it basically changed colour — a testament to the true colours of a wonderful man, Tom Beynon.
